In a recent report, journalists Danny Rust and Ben Jacobs revealed that Aston Villa are in pole position to sign Chelsea full-back Ian Maatsen this summer. It has been stated that the Villans are on the brink of beating Borussia Dortmund in the race to land the Dutch left-back this off-season.
Maatsen’s Impressive Loan Spell At Signal Iduna Park Last Season
Maatsen had a decent loan spell at Dortmund recently and managed to put in a string of eye-catching displays for them on the left flank. The 22-year-old registered three goals and picked up a couple of assists in 23 matches for the German outfit last season across all competitions.
The Dutch talent managed to shine at times with his contributions on the left wing as he averaged 1.9 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 1.1 clearances, 0.7 shots and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga. He even distributed the ball accurately after making 89.4% of his attempted passes in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at his parent club Chelsea will run out in the summer of 2026. Thus, it won’t be easy for the Villans to get a deal done for him on the cheap in this transfer window.
What Will Maatsen Bring To Aston Villa?
Maatsen is a tough-tackling defender who can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t hesitate to put his foot through the ball when needed and can strike the ball with power from long range.
The Dutch wide player can even create the odd chance for his teammates up top and is a decent dribbler with the ball on the left flank. He is primarily a left-back but can also function as a left-winger if told to do so.
Maatsen would bring more quality to Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery’s defence. He is good enough to compete with Lucas Digne for a regular first-team spot at Villa Park next season. Thus, the Villans should focus on recruiting him ahead of the new campaign.
At 22, Maatsen has the potential to be a world-class player in his position someday. Therefore, the West Midlands club would do well to snap him up before the end of this summer transfer window.
